


Be My Baby

by dramadork884



Category: The Blacklist (TV)
Genre: Adoption, F/M, Future Fic, Keenler - Freeform, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-25
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-05-09 07:46:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5531483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dramadork884/pseuds/dramadork884
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>My gift to junior-4323 as part of The Blacklist Secret Santa on tumblr.<br/>The Resslers are getting ready for their adoption interview but are a bit worried that Liz's criminal history might be an obstacle for them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Be My Baby

**Author's Note:**

  * For [junior-4323](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=junior-4323).



Donald Ressler looked at his wife of a little over a year across their bed. She was staring up at the ceiling. Neither of them had slept well the night before, they were both way too nervous. 

Today was the day that they had been dreading. Today was the day that they had to go to the adoption agency for their interview. This would have been nerve wrecking under normal circumstances, but it was even worse for the Resslers. Most couples looking to adopt don't have quite the criminal history of Liz Ressler. 

He knew that his wife was really worried. Even though he was, too, Donald knew he needed to put on a brave face for Liz. He then leaned over their bed and gave her a kiss, “Good morning, beautiful. What do you want for breakfast?” 

“Ugh, I'm way to nervous to eat anything.” 

“We both know that you will regret it if you don't eat. And we will both regret it if I don't do the cooking.”

“Haha,  fine you win.”

Down in their kitchen Liz quietly sipped on her coffee while Don got started on some toast. “Here honey” he said as he handed Liz her plate. He kissed the top of his wife’s head, “it's all going to be okay.” 

“Maybe for you but my record could mess up all of this to us.”

“You were never convicted for anything.”

“It's hard to erase a record when your picture was all over the news.” 

He then pulled a chair across from his wife and grabbed both of her hands, “you will be a great mother and they will see that.” 

“God I hope so.” 

He kissed the top of her head again, “come on we need to get going.” 

“The fact that I used to be on the 10 most wanted list is fine, but being late might just be unforgivable.” 

With a grin her husband replied, “exactly.” 

The Resslers sat in the waiting room of the adoption center, holding hands with Donald rubbing his wife's hand with his thumbs. 

Liz put her head on his shoulders looking up to her husband. “If Red asks about where we were this morning I told him we had to go out on an assignment.” 

Looking down at his wife he asked, “why did you do that?”

“I was scared he would try to bribe or threaten people to make sure we were approved.” 

“Good thinking.” 

“I thought so.” The two of them just stared at each other.

“Elizabeth and Donald Ressler” the voice of the receptionist broke them out of their gaze. 

“That's us” Don said as they stood up. 

“Great Mrs. Wells will be with you in a minute. You can wait in her office.” 

They kept holding hands as they went into the office, sitting next to each other again. Liz look at her husband with sad eyes and whispered softly, “I’m sorry.”

“what?” said a very surprised Donald Ressler, “What do you have to be sorry for?” 

“Come on babe we both know I’m the one who got us into this mess…”

“Oh Liz, honey no.”

“Don I'm the one who always wanted to adopt a child and I'm also the one who has this crazy past which might prevent that dream from becoming real. I should have given up on trying to adopt the moment I went on the run with Red. I made decisions that would make a lot of people rightfully think I am unfit to be a mother and maybe they are right.” 

“Oh Liz no.” He said and he put his arms around his wife. “You made hard choices in order to survive. You made sacrifices for other people, the people that you love and care for. Take Tom Connolly…” 

“You’re going to use the fact I shot the attorney general as a reason I would be a good mother?” Said Liz with a disbelieving look at her husband. “This might be stretching a bit Don.” 

“Well, not that fact that you shot him, but the reasons that you did. It wasn't just to protect yourself or even just to protect you and Reddington. You did it to protect all of us. He threatened Cooper and Samar and Aram. Heck he even threatened to expose my addiction. You had to make a tough call but you chose to make sure the people you loved wouldn't have to. You literally killed a man to protect the people counting on you, that is pretty much the definition of a good mother.” 

“Donald Ressler” she said looking up at her husband with loving eyes “you are absolutely amazing.” 

“You know that speech was to get you to see how absolutely amazing you are,” he said leaning down to kiss her “but I'll take the compliment.” 

They shared a short brief kiss before they broke apart at the sound of the office door opening. “Mr. and Mrs. Ressler?” Asked a pleasant looking woman in her mid forties. The Resslers stood up together both greeting the woman that was obviously Mrs. Wells with a handshake. “Please take a seat.” Everyone sat around the desk as Mrs. Wells took out a file. “I must say your file is very interesting. I also should tell you do tend to be wary of approving prospective parents if they have a criminal record.” 

“Well to be…” Don tried to interrupt. 

“Mr. Ressler I assume you are aware of your wife's past, the fact that she was in FBI custody for some time.” 

“Of course he knows” Liz replied “I would never keep something like that from my husband, honesty is something that is a priority in this marriage. Besides he knew the moment I was arrested.” 

“I thought this all took place before you two were together?” 

“It did but we knew each other  before that.” Liz said looking at her husband to for a little help explaining the crazy events that had led them to one another. 

“We were friends first for a long time, a really long time,” Donald piped in “years actually, it took us awhile to realize how felt about each other. So yes I very much know about Liz’s criminal history. I mean I was the FBI agent who arrested her.” 

“What!” Exclaimed a very surprised Mrs. Wells, “is that how you met?” 

“Oh no” said Liz jumping in “We knew each other even before that we were partners, FBI partners that is.” 

“Oh so you were a FBI agent as well?”

“She still is” clarified Donald. “Well she was reinstated after she was cleared of all charges.” 

“Well yes, to be honest the fact you were never convicted, Mrs. Ressler, is the reason I agreed to meet with you” admitted Mrs. Wells the crimes you were accused of are very serious, well they seem to be a lot your file is classified.” 

“I can assure you that there is nothing to be worried about,” Liz said reassuringly to Mrs. Wells “I very much live by the letter of the law these days.” 

“Excuse me,” they were surprised by the receptionist coming into the room. “Sorry but there is someone who says his name is Mr. Snow and he keeps insisting he needs to see Mrs. Ressler. He says that it's very important.”

“I'm sorry but I don't know anyone named Mr. Snow.” Said a very confused Liz. 

“He's very well dressed and um he has a fedora.”

The Resslers then looked at each other with the same exasperated expression and in unison grumbled “Reddington.” 

“We should have known that he would see right through our diversion.” Growled Donald rubbing his face. 

“Wait. I recognize that name” Exclaimed Mrs. Wells. “Is that the same Reddington that is mentioned in your file.”

“I better go and see what he wants.” Liz got up and right before she went out the door she turned back to her husband and explained “I'm hoping I can convince him to just go right now.” 

Donald and Mrs. Wells were then left alone in awkward silence. “So,” Mrs. Wells said trying to continue the conversation. “This Reddington character seems to still be involved in your life.” 

“Mostly in a professional capacity.” 

“He is still a criminal element in your lives.” 

“Well” ventured Donald, “we are both FBI agents. It is not fair to punish us for having jobs in law enforcement.” 

“Of course not but there are concerns.” She looked around awkwardly, “if you don't mind me asking, how long have you and your wife been trying to conceive? Because I'm sorry to say this but fertility treatments might be a better option for you.” 

“Oh we don't have any fertility problems, well at least I don't think we do we haven't even tried.” 

“Really?” Mrs. Wells looked shocked, “I'm sorry, I just assumed since most couples look at adoption as sort of a plan B. Also this is not the first time your wife has tried to adopt. In this incident with her first husband, Tom Keen, she backed out of the adoption at the last minute. To be honest that does not look great on her record either.”

“Well she did that because she was starting to realize that he was not the man she thought he was.” 

“I understand that people have reasons for things but…”

“No” Donald interrupted, “you don't understand. He was a fraud.”

“Mr. Ressler there is no need for dramatics.”

“I’m not being dramatic he was legitimately a fraud,” explained Ressler trying to regain his composure. “Their marriage was annulled because he was a sociopathic criminal who was being paid to spy on her.” 

“Oh my,” whispered the bewildered woman on other side of the desk. 

“Look I probably shouldn't have said all of that” admitted Donald,  “but I need you to understand something. Liz has always wanted to adopt, ever since she was a little girl. It wasn’t because she couldn't have have kids of her own but because she wanted to give a child a home, give a child back what she got. Did you know that she was adopted herself? Did you see that scar on her hand? She got that in the fire that killed her parents when she was just a little girl. She knows that she was lucky to have Sam, who was willing to adopt her. The only thing she wants to do is give another child that chance. I’m sorry, but I can’t just sit here and let you tell me that she is unfit to be a mother, because she would be an amazing one. She cares so much about others. She is the least selfish person I know.”

Mrs. Wells took a moment that looked at Don, “you must love your wife a great deal.”

“I really do.”

...

Donald Ressler walked out in the the waiting room to find his wife and Raymond Reddington having a heated discussion. Red added to their fight “I could have been helpful. I can be very persuasive.”

Liz rolled her eyes, “We know you can be persuasive. We just didn’t want your particular brand of persuasion in this instance.”

“Donald,” Red said finally noticing that Don had joined them. “Tell your wife that you two need me to get your application approved.”

“No we don’t” Donald said smirking. 

“Don’t be stupid Donald. My methods work.”   
“You’re right they do but they are not needed today,” he said holding up their application “because look who just got approved.”

“Oh my god babe,” exclaimed Liz while giving her husband an exuberant running hug. “I can’t believe this! How did you do this?”

While leaning in to kiss his beautiful wife he said, “By just making her see how amazing you are.”

After breaking away from their kiss, Liz proclaimed, “I'm grabbing my coat and we are going to Wing Yee’s to celebrate.”

“Well let me get out of your hair,” said Red as he put his hat on. “Donald I must admit that was quite impressive.

Donald Ressler lovingly gazed at his beaming wife, “Let’s be honest, it’s Liz who is the impressive one.”  

**Author's Note:**

> So this is the first fic I have written in a long time but hope you enjoyed it! Also thanks to addykins for proof reading for me.


End file.
